Sherwood Louis Boehlert(September 28, 1936 – September 20, 2021) was an AmericanpoliticianfromNew York.He represented a large swath ofcentral New Yorkin theUnited States House of Representativesfrom 1983 until 2007. Boehlert, aRepublican,was considered to be a member of the party'smoderatewing. He served as Chairman of theScience Committeefrom 2001 to 2006.
Sherwood Boehlert | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chair of theHouse Science Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Sensenbrenner |
| Succeeded by | Bart Gordon |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York | |
| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Donald J. Mitchell(redistricting) |
| Succeeded by | Mike Arcuri |
| Constituency | 25th district(1983–1993) 23rd district(1993–2003) 24th district(2003–2007) |
| Executive ofOneida County | |
| In office January 1, 1980 – December 31, 1982 | |
| Preceded by | William Bryant |
| Succeeded by | John Plumley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sherwood Louis Boehlert September 28, 1936 Utica, New York,U.S. |
| Died | September 20, 2021(aged 84) New Hartford, New York,U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Jean Bone
(m.1959;div.1976)Marianne Willey (m.1976) |
| Education | Utica College(BA) |
Early life, education, and early political career
editSherwood Louis Boehlert was born on September 28, 1936, inUtica, New York,to Elizabeth Monica (néeChampoux) and Sherwood Boehlert,[1]and graduated fromUtica College.He was a practicing Roman Catholic.[2][3]He served two years in theUnited States Army(1956–1958) and then worked as a manager ofpublic relationsfor Wyandotte Chemical Company. After leaving Wyandotte, Boehlert served as Chief of Staff for two upstate Congressmen,Alexander PirnieandDonald J. Mitchell;[4]following this, he was elected the county executive ofOneida County, New York,serving from 1979 to 1983. After his four-year term as county executive, he ran successfully for Congress in the elections of 1982. He was re-elected to every Congress subsequent until his retirement.
U.S. House of Representatives
editElections
editMitchell did not run for reelection in 1982. Boehlert entered the Republican primary to succeed him in the district, which had been renumbered from the31stto the25thin redistricting. He won the primary with 56% of the vote.[5]He won the general election by defeating Democrat Anita Maxwell 56%–42%.[6]
After that, he won re-election every two years until he decided to retire and not seek re-election, in 2006. His district number changed twice, each time after redistricting—from the 25th (1983–1993) to the23rd(1993–2003) to the24th(2003- 2007). He was challenged in the Republican primary five times: 1986 (67%),[7]1996 (65%),[8]2000 (57%),[9]2002 (53%),[10]and 2004 (60%).[11]His lowest re-election winning percentage in the general election was 57%, in his last re-election in 2004, when he defeated Democrat Jeff Miller 57%–34%.[12]
Tenure
edit
Boehlert is best known for his work on environmental policy. Beginning in the 1980s with theacid raincrisis, Boehlert became a prominent voice in the Republican party for the environment. He was a major contributor to the acid rain provisions of theClean Air Act Amendments of 1990.He pushed continually to increaseCorporate Average Fuel Economy(CAFE) standards for light trucks and automobiles and was the lead GOP sponsor of numerous CAFE amendments. Due to Boehlert's constant battles over environmental legislation, often putting him at odds with his party's leadership,National Journaldubbed Boehlert the "Green Hornet" and featured him as one of the dozen "key players" in the House of Representatives. Due to his centrist views,Time Magazinealso recognized Boehlert as a "power center" on Capitol Hill andCongressional Quarterlynamed him one of the 50 most effective Members of Congress. Boehlert was a member of several national moderate GOP groups including theRepublican Main Street Partnershipand theRipon Society.[citation needed]
On the Science Committee, Boehlert championed investments in theNational Science Foundation,science and math education programs and theDepartment of Energy'sOffice of Science.As chairman he pushed for measures to increasecybersecurityresearch[13]and the creation of a Science and Technology Directorate at theDepartment of Homeland Security.After9/11and the2001 anthrax attacks,Boehlert crafted legislation establishing theDHS S&T Directorateto oversee development of technologies to secure against terrorist attacks. This homeland security S&T bill reported out of the Science Committee was ultimately accepted by the congressional leadership and President Bush and enacted as part of theHomeland Security Act of 2002.Boehlert was one of the first Members of Congress to call for a competitiveness agenda, culminating with a majorNational Academy of SciencesreportRising Above the Gathering Stormon retaining U.S. leadership in science and engineering, as well as theAmerican Competitiveness Initiativeintroduced by President Bush in 2006.
Boehlert was an active promoter offirst responderlegislation, a strong champion forvolunteer firefighters[14]and original member and Chairman of theCongressional Fire Services Caucus.
On March 17, 2006, at apress conferenceBoehlert announced that he would not seek a thirteenth term in office. Several important landmarks are named for Boehlert that reflect his work on transportation and science issues. These include the renovatedUnion Stationin Utica and the new science facilities[15]of theAir Force Research Laboratory—Information Directorate inRome, New York.[16]
Committee assignments
editBoehlert served on the Science Committee for his entire congressional career. In addition, he was the third-ranking member of theTransportation Committee;from 1995 to 2000, he served as the chairman of its Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. He was also a member of theHouse Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence,serving as interim chairman in 2004.
Post-congressional career
editAfter 2007, Boehlert remained active promoting environmental and scientific causes. He served on the Board of the bipartisanAlliance for Climate Protectionchaired by former Vice PresidentAl Gore.Boehlert served as a Senior Fellow at theBipartisan Policy Center.[17]He was a member of the ReFormers Caucus ofIssue One.[18]
In 2016, Boehlert endorsed Democratic candidateHillary Clintonfor president,[19]and in 2018, he endorsed Democratic candidateAnthony BrindisiforNew York's 22nd congressional district,which contained much of Boehlert's former district.[20]
Death
editBoehlert died from complications of dementia at a hospice care facility inNew Hartford, New York,on September 20, 2021, at age 84.[21][22]His Funeral Mass was held at Our Lady of Lourdes,Utica, New York,on September 27, 2021.[23]
References
edit- ^Roberts, Sam (September 24, 2021)."Sherwood Boehlert, a G.O.P Moderate in the House, Dies at 84".The New York Times.RetrievedSeptember 24,2021.
- ^Profile,cen.acs.org. Accessed April 11, 2022.
- ^Profile,cnn.com. Accessed April 11, 2022.
- ^"Boehlert Begins Plans for Transition; Calls Pawlinga and Eilenberg",The Observer-Dispatch,Utica, New York,p. 1, November 7, 1973
- ^Our Campaigns – NY District 25 – R Primary Race – Sep 23, 1982
- ^Our Campaigns – Race
- ^Our Campaigns – NY District 25 – R Primary Race – Sep 09, 1986
- ^Our Campaigns – NY District 23 – R Primary Race – Sep 10, 1996
- ^Our Campaigns – NY District 23 – R Primary Race – Sep 12, 2000
- ^Our Campaigns – NY District 24 – R Primary Race – Sep 10, 2002
- ^Our Campaigns – NY – District 24 – R Primary Race – Sep 14, 2004
- ^Our Campaigns – NY District 24 Race – Nov 02, 2004
- ^H.R. 3394 – Cyber Security Research and Development Act, Rep. Boehlert (R-NY)"HR 3394 Cyber Security Research and Development Act sent on 02/05/2002".Office of Management and Budget.Archivedfrom the original on November 28, 2020.RetrievedAugust 21,2008– viaNational Archives.
- ^National Volunteer Fire CouncilPresents Appreciation Award to Rep. Sherwood Boehlert"NVFC - News".Archived fromthe originalon July 27, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 17,2011.
- ^"Lab building to be named for Boehlert".Rome Daily Sentinel.Rome, NY.RetrievedOctober 6,2015.
Rep. Michael A. Arcuri and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced that Building #3 at the lab will be formally named the "Sherwood Boehlert Center of Excellence for Information Science and Technology."
- ^"Rome Daily Sentinel".
- ^"Senior Fellows, Bipartisan Policy Center"ArchivedDecember 16, 2018, at theWayback Machine,bipartisanpolicy.org. Accessed April 11, 2022.
- ^"Issue One – ReFormers Caucus".2023.
- ^McCaskill, Nolan D. (September 29, 2016)."Clinton camp rolls out more GOP endorsements".POLITICO.RetrievedJuly 30,2023.
- ^Weiner, Mark (November 2, 2018)."Former GOP Rep. Sherwood Boehlert endorses Brindisi".syracuse.RetrievedJuly 30,2023.
- ^Weiner, Mark (September 21, 2021)."Former Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, leading GOP voice on environment, dies at 84".The Post-Standard.RetrievedSeptember 21,2021.
- ^Roberts, Sam (September 24, 2021)."Sherwood Boehlert, a G.O.P Moderate in the House, Dies at 84".The New York Times.RetrievedSeptember 24,2021.
- ^Obituary,obits.syracuse.com. Accessed April 11, 2022.